How to Recruit and Attract Passive Candidates?

The best talent is hard to come by considering that employees are the backbone of every organization. Therefore, as a hiring manager or recruiter, you must develop a solid plan to attract and hire the most sought-after candidates. Have you ever considered passive candidate recruiting? Well, we prepared this article to guide you on how to recruit and attract passive candidates. In the end, you will also understand the meaning of passive candidates and how they differ from active ones. Also, remember that the procedure for hiring passive candidates differs from the one used in hiring active candidates. Simply put, you require improved techniques, more persuasion power, and excellent sales skills to convince them why working in your company is worth considering. 

What is Passive Sourcing?

Passive sourcing is a recruitment procedure that allows employers or hiring managers to identify and attract individuals who are currently employed but are looking for better opportunities. Note that sourcing passive candidates is not a walk in the park and requires finesse. That is why when looking for a recruiter to handle this activity for you, ensure they are well skilled and have the necessary experience to effectively source suitable talent. 

We understand that you might wonder how passive sourcing vs. active sourcing relates. While passive sourcing involves attracting candidates who are not actively seeking new opportunities, active sourcing is whereby job applicants who are not employed send their resumes for consideration.

Why are Passive Candidates Better?

Employers seek passive candidates because they want to be sure that they hire experienced and skillful individuals to perform various organizational tasks. Besides, it all goes back to necessity simply because there are limited active candidates to fill the open positions. So, let’s take a look below at more advantages of passive sourcing.

1. You are Guaranteed Excellent Performance

Passive candidates will only accept your job offer if they believe they have all it takes to give excellent performance. Although they consider better compensation and the ability to keep building their careers, they wouldn’t risk leaving their current jobs if they knew they couldn’t deliver. 

2. They Choose You

Your recruiter or hiring manager may present job offers to passive candidates, but only they can make the final decision. They will take their time to conduct the necessary due diligence about your company and decide whether you are worth working for. Passive candidates who choose you trust that they will be comfortable in your organization and are open to blending with existing employees and your business culture.

3. Less Time Pressure

Recruitment is challenging, especially in an environment where many employers seek the same talent. If you are recruiting active candidates, the chances are that you might lose the best ones to your competitors should you delay the process. Luckily, passive candidate recruiting doesn’t have to be like that. Since the power to decide whether you are worth working for lies with the candidates, you get less time pressure to complete the hiring process. 

4. Help in Building Your Employer Brand

Interacting with passive job seekers helps build better relationships and your employer’s brand. Even though they may reject your job offer, you must continue maintaining them to grow your network and talent pools. In addition, they may refer you to better candidates or turn out to be your brand ambassadors. As a result, job seekers and investors will want to be part of your team, thus increasing productivity.

How to Recruit Passive Candidates

Now that you understand what passive candidate recruiting means and the importance of implementing it in your recruitment strategy, it is time to get into how to recruit passive candidates. Take a look below at the essential tips to get you started.

1. Engage Them Actively

Creating excellent relationships with passive candidates is crucial to capturing their attention and making it easy for them to choose you. Remember, they will conduct their research on you and decide whether to give up their current employment for your offer. This means that if you do not keep them engaged, you might lose some of the most sought-after talents. 

That being said, take advantage of social media platforms to market your employer brand, as the majority of the candidates will follow you. Start by understanding what passive job seekers want to know about your company and give them detailed information about your organization’s values and mission. In addition, consider engaging them via emails and phone calls so that you can build an excellent relationship and have them know more about your business.

2. Improve Your Offer

To attract passive candidates, you have to raise your standard to be better than their current employers. It is human nature to want better, so give them what they do not currently have. You can attract the best passive candidates by offering better compensation or improving your culture and policy. Therefore, study their current place of work and point out their weaknesses. You can then use your findings to your advantage and come up with the best offer they wouldn’t dare resist.

3. Use Reliable Passive Sourcing Techniques

Sourcing passive candidates requires a critical eye, and you need to look beyond relying on job boards. Instead, find other platforms where passive job seekers might dominate. For instance, consider using your current employees for referrals by creating a referral program with benefits and perks. Alternatively, you can use social media platforms and groups where professionals meet. 

4. Ensure Your Timing is Right

If you are not conducting the recruitment procedure on your own, ensure the personnel handling the activity have excellent communication skills. First, ensure you discuss your intention to source passive candidates with your hiring managers beforehand. Let them understand that such candidates can’t be approached with an offer without understanding the best time to do so. Create a relationship with potential candidates before pitching your offer. 

5. Do Not Delay the Process

Passive candidates may reach out to accept your job offer but do they really need it? You must act first and take the next step before they second guess their decisions. Set up a meeting if need be but remember to always take them through the interview process. You wouldn’t want to rush things and end up making a mistake. 

Passive candidate recruitment has helped many organizations meet reliable talent. If you haven’t tried this technique, you are missing out on your opportunity to bring the change your business seeks. Remember, the procedure is challenging as you do not know how the candidates you approach will respond. That is why it is crucial to start by creating a relationship with them before pitching and marketing your company. Also, note that the recruitment technique for passive job seekers varies from the one used in sourcing active candidates. Therefore, have a solid plan that will give the candidates a worthwhile experience.